Tarzan (Rated R)

Chapter 8 - Same Me.

3 years later.

"Good to have you back, my wife and I didn't know where we would have gone without you." The gruff voice of my regular Jim screams into my mini shop rumbling the glass.

"It's so good to be back Jim, I would have missed you guys like crazy." I respond with a newfound of gratitude for the man.

We smile at each other before he heads out with holding a bouquet of rose berry lilies, he is going to make up for something, he comes in twice a week, I can almost know his routine, red lilies for something he forgot, rose berry lilies are for any argument. I shake my head watching the peppercorn haired man walk out to his car in the large mirror.

But I am grateful to him and the rest of my regulars for keeping the place going, after returning home it took me a few months to get back into society, my mother of course no help, in fact maybe if I came home pregnant, she'd be more than happy. Life was definitely tough to get back to, but I will say that I am seeing it in a new light. For crise sake I was almost mauled by a mountain lion, as the thought came up so did the tingle of my arms, the ghost of its claws gave me goosebumps, I always fight to look at it, these scars not only remind me of the day I almost became cat-food, but -

Just as I was looking out into nothing, a vision of white flashed with an image in the middle, the beautiful backside of a head with a set of full golden hair. Quickly blinking out and swallowing the cries, going over my montage for the 80th time today alone. No, it's best never to think of him again. I know there are millions of fish in the sea, but that one was the prettiest to look at and keep to myself.

God that is not the way that goes, somehow it made me feel worse than better. I miss him, even after all this time that passed, countless of dates, he was all I could see, maybe if I get lost again and -

"Jane, sweety how are you" screamed the very voice I avoided for days.

Just as I was wiping away a tear, the one and only walked in, crap. Inconspicuously, I wipe a single tear that rolled down my left cheek quickly before she asks me what's wrong.

"Hi, mom" I say annoyed, in our native tongue she cursed at me about how that's not the proper way to greet your mother. Removing myself from behind the counter to go up and kiss her on the cheek.

"Hi mom" I repeat planting a kiss on her left cheek. Boy, the Haitian Tradition can be aggravating for introverts like me.

I'm not in the mood for whatever it is she here to tell me and I bet you it is abou-

"I set you up with this boy,"

What I tell you, walking away I feel her eyes trailing and down my body. "Your twenty-eight years old, are you going to stay single forever, no kids or nothing? Your cousin is already on her third baby, and you have none."

Does she have to rub it in? Rolling my eyes "mom please stop comparing me to other people, why don't you focus on your real daughter's life and happiness than dream about someone else's" I speak in Our mother tongue.

Of course, anything she doesn't like she feels as though she is being insulted. "Well than I guess you're going to be single forever, what guy will marry you with that attitude."

"What attitu-"

"Bye" as she turns to walk away, she examines my shop before turning back to me to give me a pitiful look "You gave up going to school to become a nurse for this place? Poor decision" not bothering to hear anything she strides out.

Normally I'd swallow it all but in the fragile state of mind I'm in, once more the tears spill letting me fall to the ground.

The day still turned well with sales and gifts from my seasonal customers, I'm exhausted and hungry, time to go update my boos. Closing up shop for the day, my phone pings vibrating in my purse, relaxing my fascial expression once I recognized the sound, Justine's ringing is set up differently.